Simms "Alumibite" screw in studs are good.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I have had one of our most active local anglers testing these new aluminum studs for me and he says they are very good.

He did mention that they do wear faster than most other metal studs but have good traction on rocks.

http://www.simmsfishing.com/site/alumibite_cleat.html


Years ago before studded felt we used Dan Bailey's "Stream Cleats" which were rubber slip-over shoes with felt and aluminum bars. They worked very well but did wear faster than other choices.

Even more years back Creative Sports in Walnut Creek had a slip on sandal with aluminum bars called " Muncies" I believe.

[Terry Imai]

Usually I agree 100% with anything Bill states but IMO, the aluminum cleats should be judged on a sliding scale. If you were to judge felt with studs as a 10; I would rate the aluminum cleats around 5-6 and the starbrite as a 2 with just the rubber soles as a 0.

I brought my two wading boots with felt and studs along with the aluminum studs on a recent fishing trip to fish pocket water. There was a secure feeling with the felt and studs but I didn't get the sensation of a real "bite" with the aluminum studs.

Just my $.02 for Thursday...

[Ralph]

I absolutely love these things. Yes, they wear quicker than carbide or steel and leave snail trails on the rocks but they have unbeatable gription. Match these guys to felt soles (be sure to sterilize) and you have the absolute best there is to offer for wading safety on slippery stream beds. I have tested just about every boot sole configuration (one kind on one foot and another configuration on the other foot at the same time) and am convinced aluminum on felt is the gold standard.

[amoeba]

"sterilize"? you have an autoclave to put your boots in at 10 atmopheres of steam pressure for 4 hours? Or perhaps some Gamma radiation source?

are the rubber soles are sterile - and attached to the some more sterile boot that the felt one is?

Methinks nein to all of the above.

Pressure wash your equipment, that's the best you can do without harming the equipment (or doing more harm to the environment) with chemicals, the felt will become almost as clean as the rubber sole would and the uppers are the same.

I wonder if Simms will let me trade my rubbers back for felts? They were only $230 with the star studs. I haven't used them since day one. They don't grip, so they must be defective.

[Darian]

Geez!!! What a great way to highjack a thread....

[Don Powell]

I agree with Ralph!
Methinks that felt with aluminum cleats offer the best grip...
Downside- be prepared to replace aluminum frequently but tell me now- what is more important- spending a few bucks or dying because you slipped and broke your hip?
Rubber (non-invasive) hardly seems worth human sacrifice...
If you are envisioning being a martyr for your children and grandchildren in order to "save the planet"' I would suggest you think otherwise... a living, experienced human being is worth far more than a stupid moron who yielded to the eco-friendly, "green" alternative...

[KD]

Dr Spey for president!

[Ed Wahl]

Before you folks right it off as worthless let me impart my experiences with rubber and felt.

First off, okay, felt will keep you upright at most times on the water. But last summer while following a buddy side hilling downstream in a steep canyon I thought I was gonna die. He just kept on going and whistling like he was on a walk in the park. He was wearing rubber and I was wearing felt. Side hilling with felt over pine needles and leaves is a death wish. That's right, you heard me. If you don't believe me give it a try. You'll spend more time with your uphill hand in the dirt/rocks/weeds/and poison oak than you will upright. I ended up bailing and very carefully slipping my way downhill through the brush to the water.

There's a trade-off in everything and wading boots are no exception. I bought a pair of Simms rubber soled boots with the star thingies last year for the lower American and I really couldn't believe how much better they were than my usual plain felt. It's quite possible that studded felt may be better, but since I have a tight budget for boots I can't compare the two and I can say the rubber soles with star cleat beat the plain felt hands down.

It is true also that the star cleats wont grip on dry polished granite, but plain felt doesn't grip dry granite either. I'm talking the polished granite here, btw.
So maybe for canyons rubber soles and aluminum cleats?

I can say positively that rubber soles are much better for the walk in and walk out that canyons demand. I guess I should try out the al. studs next time out, maybe that would be a good compromise.

Wow, reading my post it sounds pretty wishy washy,hah, welcome to fly fishing folks.

Ed

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Before you folks right it off as worthless let me impart my experiences with rubber and felt.

First off, okay, felt will keep you upright at most times on the water. But last summer while following a buddy side hilling downstream in a steep canyon I thought I was gonna die. He just kept on going and whistling like he was on a walk in the park. He was wearing rubber and I was wearing felt. Side hilling with felt over pine needles and leaves is a death wish. That's right, you heard me. If you don't believe me give it a try. You'll spend more time with your uphill hand in the dirt/rocks/weeds/and poison oak than you will upright. I ended up bailing and very carefully slipping my way downhill through the brush to the water.

There's a trade-off in everything and wading boots are no exception. I bought a pair of Simms rubber soled boots with the star thingies last year for the lower American and I really couldn't believe how much better they were than my usual plain felt. It's quite possible that studded felt may be better, but since I have a tight budget for boots I can't compare the two and I can say the rubber soles with star cleat beat the plain felt hands down.

It is true also that the star cleats wont grip on dry polished granite, but plain felt doesn't grip dry granite either. I'm talking the polished granite here, btw.
So maybe for canyons rubber soles and aluminum cleats?

I can say positively that rubber soles are much better for the walk in and walk out that canyons demand. I guess I should try out the al. studs next time out, maybe that would be a good compromise.

Wow, reading my post it sounds pretty wishy washy,hah, welcome to fly fishing folks.

Ed

We have to read this one because Ed here is a real outdoorsman and a serious fisherman.

Andy Guibord at the shop said that the new rubber without studs was good for those who hike in and fish small streams.

[Ralph]

I totally agree. Felt is less than useless in freezing conditions, on snow, dry granite and grass. I only wear it when most of the day will be spent IN the water on snot slick rocks.